The Rhode Island Commission
for Human Rights (“Commission”) is one of the oldest state antidiscrimination law enforcement
agencies in the country. The Rhode Island General Assembly established the Commission
in 1949 with
the understanding that “[t]he practice or policy of discrimination against
individuals …is a matter of state concern”, and that “discrimination
foments public strife and unrest, threatens the rights and privileges of the
inhabitants of the state, and undermines the foundations of a free democratic
state”. R.I.G.L. § 28-5-2.

The Commission’s major program activities include:

outreach and education;

intake, investigation and
settlement of discrimination
charges;

administrative hearings.

The Commission
is not empowered as an advocacy organization. Rather, the Commission's role is
to educate the public on discrimination laws/issues and to conduct objective
investigations of charges filed.